Whether it’s a necklace or any other accessory, they’re basically all handmade.
And since the materials are coral, horn, or raw gemstones taken straight from nature, it’s almost impossible for two accessories to come out exactly the same.
In other words, the necklace hanging around that woman dressed in foreign clothes is more than nine times out of ten the very one Cousin Seon-il bought.
I asked the Eunuch who was guiding me.
“Who was the person who just passed by?”
“Ah, that’s Her Highness, the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom.”
That must be the princess that Deputy Merchant Lord Ji Seok–mun of the Baekbuik Merchant Group brought over this time.
“A distinguished guest from far away, then.”
“She’ll probably return home once the winds change in a little while. Even if she’s from another country, Her Highness is still a princess, so she can become an imperial consort… but none of the princes have stepped forward saying they want to marry her…”
“As far as I know, there are two princes who are still unmarried.”
“That’s right. But both of them keep refusing.”
I know the reason for that.
Because she’s famously ugly.
But I also know what happens after that.
That her wisdom will later become so renowned that even the entire empire knows her name.
And that her looks gradually become more and more beautiful.
According to what I later learned through the information unit of the Eunhae Merchant Group, she came to the empire by her own will.
She supposedly said she would personally choose the man she was going to marry.
The king, who dotes on her, agreed to her request.
But she never married, not while she was in the empire, and not even after she returned to her homeland.
Still, this is…
I really need to sit down and have a serious talk with Cousin Seon-il.
“Um, may I ask you a favor?”
“What is it?”
“Could you perhaps deliver a letter to Editorial Assistant Hong Seon-il of the Hanlin Academy?”
“Understood.”
“Thank you so much.”
.
.
.
That evening.
I headed to the restaurant I had reserved.
“Welcome.”
A server spotted me and hurried over to greet me.
“I have a reservation. I’m Eun Seo–ho from the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Ah! We’ve been waiting for you. Please come this way.”
The server led me inside.
The place I’d reserved was a separate building with a small artificial waterfall nearby.
It had a nice view, and on top of that, it was the best spot for soundproofing.
Of course, blocking sound with Qi wouldn’t be hard for me, but there was no need to go that far.
While I was sitting in the private building, watching the waterfall, Cousin Seon-il arrived.
“Young Master Seon-il has arrived.”
I already knew. I could feel Cousin Seon-il’s Qi.
I quickly opened the door and went out to greet him.
“Welcome, Cousin.”
“What’s going on? You suddenly say you want to treat me to dinner?”
The letter I’d sent through the Eunuch earlier simply asked him to come here so I could treat him to dinner tonight.
“It’s nothing special. I just wanted to buy you a meal for the first time in a while, Cousin.”
“This isn’t you asking for some favor or something, right?”
“If you know a stake won’t go in no matter how hard you hammer it, you’d have to be an idiot to keep swinging, wouldn’t you?”
“True, you’re not that kind of idiot.”
“Please, have a seat.”
Cousin Seon-il sat down, and I took my seat as well.
In the meantime, it seemed Palgap had already ordered with the server, because dishes started coming out.
And right in the middle of the table was the guobaorou.
This dish was one of the main reasons I chose this restaurant.
It’s made by slicing the meat thin, coating it in starch, and deep–frying it, but the real highlight here is the special soy sauce they pour over their guobaorou.
“Please enjoy.”
“Thanks. I’ll eat well.”
Like that, we tucked into the delicious food.
Eating it together with the spicy soup, there was nothing more satisfying.
Once we finished eating, the server brought out tea with a gentle fragrance.
“So, what did you want to talk about so badly that you treated me to dinner?”
Cousin Seon-il went on.
“On top of that, you booked a separate building like this. That must’ve cost quite a bit.”
Cousin Seon-il, you’ve gotten more perceptive since you took office.
In the past, you wouldn’t have realized anything until I spelled it out.
I readily admitted it.
“Phew, you’re right, Cousin. I arranged this meeting because there’s something important I need to discuss with you.”
I got straight to the point.
“Today was the day the merchant groups that will trade with foreign nations entered the Imperial Palace, and I went there representing the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Right, I heard about that.”
“And some time ago, when you were buying a birthday present for Aunt, I saw you picking out two necklaces.”
“…”
“Today, by chance, I ran into Her Highness, the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom, and hanging on her neck was the one of the necklace you bought back then, Cousin.”
“Cough!”
At my words, Cousin Seon-il choked and started coughing.
“Cough! Cough! Gack!”
“Oh dear! Are you alright?”
“C–cough, I’m fine.”
He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped up the tea he’d spilled, and stole a glance at me.
“Cousin.”
“Y–yeah…”
“For you, who usually treats women like they’re rocks on the roadside, to give someone that kind of trinket… I’d say you had some personal feelings involved.”
Seeing Cousin Seon-il’s eyes tremble, he seemed completely tense.
“So, Cousin… how do you really feel? Is it true that you have feelings for her?”
At my question, Cousin Seon-il’s face turned bright red. He hung his head, scratched the back of his neck…
Then glanced around nervously and let out another deep sigh…
Ah, this is frustrating.
Without realizing it, I released Qi toward Cousin Seon-il and pressed him.
“So do you love her or not?”
“…!”
Under the weight of my Qi, Cousin Seon-il stiffened and answered reflexively.
“I love her.”
Hmm, I really did let my Qi leak out without meaning to.
I calmly gathered my Qi back in and spoke to him.
“I knew it.”
Maybe because he’d finally forced out the hardest words, Cousin Seon-il let out a long sigh and began to speak.
“Yeah, I know. I’m out of my mind. She’s someone who ought to be matched with one of the imperial princes, yet I dared to harbor feelings for her.”
“…”
“But what can I do? It’s not like my heart listens to me.”
His voice was full of self–mockery.
I shook my head and spoke.
“I’m not going to blame you for that, Cousin.”
“Hm?”
“If people could control who they fall for, do you really think so many die of lovesickness?”
I continued.
“It’s just that I’m worried about you. These feelings you have right now could end up leaving a deep wound in your heart.”
“…”
“That’s why you have to make a decision.”
“Right. Phew… I should give up, shouldn’t I.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Before that… Cousin, have you ever actually seen Her Highness the Princess’s face?”
That was important.
If Cousin Seon-il hadn’t seen the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom’s face, he might just be assuming she’s pretty and getting carried away.
At my question, Cousin Seon-il nodded.
Huh? He’s actually seen her?
“When I first met her, she wasn’t wearing a veil. And it was the first time I’d ever met someone who combined such learning and wisdom. Maybe that’s why… I fell in love with her that day.”
He fell for her not because of her looks, but because he was awed by her learning and wisdom.
I couldn’t help thinking, that’s so like Cousin Seon-il.
“I know very well what people say about her looks. But once you get older, appearances don’t matter that much. Besides, if you look at old histories, how many cases are there where a beautiful face plunged a nation into ruin?”
“That’s true.”
“Anyway, by my standards, she’s a beautiful person.”
“In that case, this younger cousin can relax. We can go ahead and move things forward.”
“Move what forward?”
“Cousin, are you saying you have no intention of marrying her?”
At my question, Cousin Seon-il flinched in shock and replied.
“Didn’t I just say it? She’s…”
“No. She will never marry any of the princes of this empire.”
“And how could you possibly know that?”
How else? I already watched it all play out in my previous life.
The Emperor had given the princes the right to choose.
The Emperor I know would definitely have recognized the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom’s value.
He’s probably practically drooling over it right now.
Then why did he give the princes the right to choose? The Emperor I know would normally just order someone to take her as a bride.
If that’s the case… this is a test.
And in this test, every one of those princes has already failed.
Thinking back to how, in my previous life, those two princes never became Emperor and only ended up with some nominal honorary posts…
The Emperor had placed quite a lot of hope on those princes. Now that those hopes have gone off the rails, his chest must ache quite a bit.
In any case, I couldn’t exactly tell Cousin Seon-il about my previous life, so I glossed over it.
“How many days has it been since Her Highness arrived? By now, talks about marriage should’ve been well underway.”
“W–well, that’s true.”
“And if those talks were actually moving forward, do you think Her Highness would have accepted the necklace you gave her, Cousin?”
“…You’re right.”
At my words, Cousin Seon-il nodded.
“And it’s about time for Her Highness to head back to her homeland. Are you really going to let her leave just like this? Can you honestly say you won’t regret it afterward?”
“…”
I spoke to Cousin Seon-il firmly.
“If you feel like you can’t go on living after sending Her Highness the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom back home like this, and if you’re prepared to take her as your wife, then tell me.”
Looking straight into Cousin Seon-il’s eyes, I went on.
“I’ll do everything in my power to help.”
After talking things through like that, we wrapped up and left.
On my way back to the Beijing branch, I couldn’t help but chuckle. The fact that the stone–faced Cousin Seon-il had someone he loved felt strangely new.
I wondered if Cousin Seon-il had also had some connection with the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom in my previous life.
I had no way of knowing for sure, but it seemed very likely.
One of the reasons I’m stepping up for Cousin Seon-il is for the sake of peace in the family.
He still hasn’t married, and he keeps sending back every single marriage proposal that comes his way, so Aunt and Uncle have plenty to worry about.
And if Cousin Seon-il lets Her Highness slip away like this, with his personality, he’ll probably never marry for the rest of his life.
Cousin Seon-il and Brother Jin–ho are kind of similar in that way.
Of course, keeping the family at peace isn’t the only reason I’m moving.
If our family becomes the in–laws of Her Highness the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom, just imagine how much support the king of Maraeseo will shower us with.
I’m already planning to expand trade to the Maraeseo Kingdom someday, so there’s no reason to give up that kind of backing.
On top of that, she’s famous for her wisdom.
In the days ahead, I could probably get some very good advice from her.
She might even be able to help when the time comes to take revenge on the Murim Alliance.
This is an opportunity I absolutely can’t let slip away.
The biggest issue here is the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom’s own wishes.
But this is how I see it.
Would she really walk around the palace wearing a necklace from someone she doesn’t care about?
Especially someone that wise?
So you could say the biggest problem is already solved.
On his way home, Hong Seon-il let out a sigh.
‘In the end, he caught on.’
He hadn’t planned on letting anyone find out about his feelings for the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom.
Still, it was a relief that the one who found out was Eun Seo–ho.
‘He’s a sharp kid, so he won’t do anything reckless.’
Walking slowly toward home, he thought back to his first meeting with the Princess of the Maraeseo Kingdom.
At the time, he had been wrestling with a rather thorny problem.
The Emperor had ordered the Hanlin Academy to leave a record of this year’s famine.
The issue was whether that record should focus on the relief efforts of the imperial family and court, or on the ways ordinary people had come up with their own means of survival.
Those who argued for the former claimed the Emperor’s decree was meant to widely publicize the imperial family’s deeds and enhance its prestige.
But Hong Seon-il and the others on the latter side thought that wasn’t what the Emperor intended.
On top of that, the Emperor was someone who pursued perfection to the extreme.
If the result wasn’t what he wanted, they’d have to start over from the beginning.
It would be like being water trapped inside a waterwheel, going around and around with no way out.
So they had to get the direction right from the start, which was what made it such a headache.
While he was agonizing over that problem, he found himself walking through the garden in the rear palace.
It was already late at night, so he was the only one taking a walk there.
Or so he thought.
Because there was a woman walking alone.
At first, he assumed she was a palace maid.
The garden was open to the palace maids as well.
To avoid any misunderstandings, he quickly withdrew.
The next day, a palace maid came looking for him.
She was a maid from Hwanhwa Pavilion, where the foreign envoys were staying.
“The person I serve found this in the rear garden and told me to return it to you.”
He tilted his head in puzzlement as he accepted it.
“…!”
He was startled.
It was the sheet of paper on which he’d copied the Emperor’s order.
If some other official had found it, he would’ve been in serious trouble for treating the sacred edict carelessly.
“Thank you.”
It was clear someone had seen him drop it in the rear garden yesterday and made sure it was returned.
Just then, a question suddenly occurred to him.
‘This paper doesn’t have my name on it, or my position, or even my office… so how did someone from a foreign land know it was mine?’
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt